Labour Day festivities moving to Dickey Park

Andrew Melanson performs during Amherst's Labour Day celebration last year in Victoria Square. This year's celebration is moving to Dickey Park on Monday.

AMHERST - Amherst’s Labour Day celebration is set for Monday, but in a different location than other years.

This year’s festivities will take place at Dickey Park from 12 to 4 p.m. featuring entertainment, games and speeches by officials from the town and various union leaders. Several years ago, Mike Clark came up with an idea to bring some attention to Labour Day. The theme of this year’s event is Community "It's important for people to realize this day is for everyone," Clark said. "For some reason a lot of people thing it's just for the unions and their families, but it's a community event and everyone is welcome to come." Clark said it's important for people to realize the importance of Labour Day and the role unions have played in gaining some of the benefits workers - unionized and non-unionized – enjoy. The United Steelworkers and other unions - including CUPW, CUPE and NSGEU - are participating in the celebration. There will be performances by Alicia Clark and Janice Thompson, Travis Hatcher and Kent Beattie as well as games of washer toss, a JC’s TaeKwon-Do barbecue, face-painting, access to the splash park and the playground. Clark and Steelworkers regional director Lawrence McKay will talk about the importance of Labour Day while other dignitaries are expected to bring their Labour Day greetings including Holly Martin, Deputy Mayor Sheila Christie, Coun. Jason Blanch and former town councillor Lisa Emery.